Consider trends and demographics to plan the perfect high-tech, highly personalized workspace in the new year.
A new year often means an influx of high-tech and other innovations. But before you invest in change, take stock of the demographics facing your workplace and what technology and resources your employees want and need. While you can expect a wave of millennials who expect a cutting-edge workspace, you also will have more older employees putting off retirement and preferring the status quo. Read on to learn more about 2020 workplace demographics and what technology and tools will satisfy all of your workers, maximize productivity, and enhance your brand.
Let’s start with some of the demographics you can expect:
- Over a third of the workforce will consist of people born after the baby boomer generation.
- Gen Xers and boomers are likely to stay longer in the workforce, either because they can’t afford or don’t want to retire. As a result, you could have five generations of workers on your teams.
- Expect more cultural diversity, even in small and rural organizations, especially as companies have to reach beyond their communities for good employees. Expect to rethink your efforts to approach, deploy, develop, and retain people.
Consider some cutting-edge strategies to attract and retain this widely diverse workforce:
- Focus on the employee experience. Particularly younger workers expect state-of-the-art workspaces with features such as Wi-Fi and charging ports everywhere, resting/nap rooms, onsite gyms, and flexible hours. Whatever elements/perks you offer, they should be geared to creating a more dynamic, purpose-driven, and versatile workspace.
- Make effective use of artificial intelligence (AI). Consider the value of intelligent assistants and chatbots to streamline repetitive tasks such as the early stages of recruitment, answering common HR questions, and/or personalizing learning experiences. Don’t think of AI as a gimmick but as a trend that correlates with employee expectations.
- Increase data literacy. Ramp up efforts to ensure that employees have the ability to work with and interpret data in meaningful ways. Integrate data collection with workflow so that it doesn’t create additional steps or burdens for workers. Don’t overwhelm people with information; instead, make sure everyone gets the data they need to do their work. Create portals and online communities for employees who regularly interact and need to share information. Promote ongoing skills training on data collection and analysis and how to apply this information to decision making, policy changes, staffing, and purchases of new equipment or technology.
Involve your employees in all of these efforts and work as a team to adapt to technological advances coming down the pike. Partner older and younger workers in training efforts, and make sure that everyone understands the value of a high-tech and highly personalized workplace.
